(Musings on Life as a Mom and a Vet)

A Valentine’s Ode To Dogs

I am not a huge Valentine’s day fan. It’ s over commercialized, and I hate that insipid Pepto-Bismol shade of pink that permeates everything associated with said holiday.

However, it’s all about love so I figured I’d write about something that I love.

I love my husband and kids, friends and family, but this is a veterinary blog so I’ve decided to spend a little time exploring my warm and fuzzy feelings for my furry canine friends and patients.

I love dogs.

I like cats, they are complicated and funny. But, man do I love dogs.

I love how happy they are to see me. I could be gone for the whole day or have just come in from grabbing the mail. They greet me with unbridled joy each and every time. Except for Katelin, the deaf one who now sleeps through most arrivals (but she’s just as exuberant once she’s figured out I’m home). Even my now dearly departed dog Scully, who was deaf as a post and suffered pretty disabling arthritis would pop her head up from a deep sleep and sniff the air when I walked by. My scent alerting her to my presence and she’d creakily lurch off the couch and shuffle over, tail slowly wagging in happy old-dog greeting.

Imagine if your spouse leaped to attention and ran to greet you with a giant hug, and an “oh my gosh I missed you, you are the greatest human on the planet”, every single time you walked in the door. Divorce rates would plummet. Well, it would probably get weird and old after a while, but the thought is nice.

I have three dogs and they are like my own personal group of secret service agents. Ready to fearlessly spring to action, at a moments notice, to protect me from bad guys or UPS drivers. Even in the bathroom, I have at least one or two (or a tight three) escorts. My safety is guaranteed.

I’m like a Hollywood actor with my personal entourage, who unanimously think I am awesome. However, dogs don’t care if you “let yourself go”. They don’t care if you are fat, ugly, balding, socially awkward or smell bad. In their eyes you are always fantastic.

100% unconditional love. That’s what dogs give. All they ask for in return is food, water, shelter, belly rubs and pats.

They cost a fortune. They eat poop, and lick their rear ends, bring us dead critters they’ve found or caught. They’re disgusting. They chew drywall, baseboards, shoes, remote controls and whatnot. I think that every dog owner, (every pet owner for that matter) has had to deal with fecal material or urine in their home. They use our homes as toilets.
Even the fanciest shmanciest chic pet owning home in Willow Bend has suffered a stray pile of poop somewhere in its opulent rooms.

But we love them unabashedly!

Dogs break our hearts and shred them to pieces because they just don’t live very long. The price of love is pain. Even more so, to some degree with our pets because it’s pure, unconditional, unbridled love.

But it’s 100% worth it. Every single time. Our hearts shatter, but we piece them back together. We dog lovers, (and pet lovers) over the course of our lives, weave a tapestry of furry faces and hearts. Each pet leaving a different mark, a different journey, a different experience. We miss the ones that are gone, we laugh at the ones who come after.

So happy Valentines day to Katelin, Mia, Nixon (and Scully at the Rainbow Bridge). They can’t read this, but that’s ok because I know they love me anyway.

5 thoughts on “A Valentine’s Ode To Dogs”

I love this! Yes, I am tearing up as I hug Abby and Maggie May. My girls, Callie, Abby and Maggie May, have pulled me through the worst of times. Their love is the best! Life is great with a fur child waiting at the door for me!
Thanks Viv,
Happy Valentines Day!

That explains it all beautifully. Dogs are the greatest! No matter when you have one in your life it is extremely special, but I think children benefit substantially from learning to care for and love a dog. I have loved watching my kids be protective, show concern, and experience the joy of having a dog.

I have one kitty that always greets me as your dogs greet you. He’s absolutely thrilled I’m home and follows me from room to room, chattering to tell me about his day.

Of course, Stan is not complicated as you might suspect. He’s really pretty simple. Not the sharpest Crayon in the box, if you will.

They all accompany me to the powder room which can get kinda annoying, but cute at the same time. I have a counter in the master bath where I get ready for work and there are usually multiple cats supervising my every move.